Footwear with Removable Upper Sleeve

ABSTRACT

The invention is directed to a piece of footwear with a removable upper sleeve. The footwear comprises a boot shell, a skirt, and an upper sleeve. The skirt is attached to the upper rim of the boot shell at its lower edge and has a connection means attached along its upper edge. The upper sleeve has a corresponding connection means along its lower edge which is configured to connect to the connection means along the upper edge of the skirt. In one embodiment the upper sleeve is reversible with different patterns or visual elements on each side of the sleeve.

This invention relates to footwear that incorporates a removable upper sleeve. The footwear comprises a boot shell, a skirt, and the removable upper sleeve. The sleeve may be reversible and incorporate different designs or visual elements on either side.

BACKGROUND

It is known to provide footwear with aesthetic elements on the upper portion of the footwear. However, this can lead to a person needing to have a number of different pieces of footwear to accommodate a number of different fashions or outfits. One option is to provide footwear with replaceable portions with different colours or patterns.

The Applicant has invented a piece of footwear which can use a standard boot shell with an attached skirt to provide for attachment of a removable upper sleeve to the footwear. The sleeve can be reversible with different colors or patterns on either side of the sleeve.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, the invention provides footwear with a removable upper sleeve. The footwear comprises: a boot shell with an upper shell rim, a skirt with a lower skirt edge and a straight upper skirt edge; and an upper sleeve with a straight lower edge. The skirt is attached to the upper shell rim along the lower skirt edge and is attached to a lower connection means along the straight upper skirt edge. The upper sleeve is attached to an upper connection means along the straight lower sleeve edge. The lower and upper connection means are configured to connect to one another.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a boot shell.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the boot shell of FIG. 1 with a boot liner in it shown in dashed lines inside of the boot shell.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the boot shell and liner of FIG. 2 depicting where a lower zipper track would be placed as preferred lower connection means.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a diassembled skirt showing the skirt and depicting a lower zipper track for connection to the skirt as a preferred lower connection means.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the boot shell and liner of FIG. 2 depicting a skirt in isolation and a skirt attached to the boot shell.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the boot shell of FIG. 1 showing a skirt attached with a lower zipper track as a preferred lower connection means and an upper zipper track as a preferred upper connection means.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the boot shell and liner of FIG. 2 depicting a skirt in isolation, a skirt attached to the boot shell, and an upper sleeve connected to the skirt.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the boot shell of FIG. 1 showing a skirt and upper sleeve attached.

FIG. 9 is a top view of a boot showing the rims of the upper sleeve, boot liner, and the upper rim of the boot shell.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As used herein, the term “footwear” includes boots and shoes. Non-limiting examples include rubber boots, hiking boots, hiking shoes, winter boots, winter shoes, and other boots and shoes that are capable of providing a connection surface for a removable upper sleeve.

The present invention is directed to a piece of footwear with a removable upper sleeve. As depicted in FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of such a piece of footwear can be made using a boot shell (1) with an upper shell rim (2). As shown in FIG. 1, such a boot shell (1) has an upper shell rim (2) constructed to have a gradual slope from the heel to the bridge which runs along the side of the ankle. This feature allows for the shell to avoid rubbing against the wearer's ankle when being worn. However, this feature also means that a boot shell (1) has an irregular upper shell rim (2) which complicates providing a straight surface for attaching an upper.

In a preferred embodiment the footwear is a winter boot. As depicted in FIG. 2, the boot shell (1) may be configured to fit a boot liner (3) to provide insulation or other features known to one skilled in the art.

As shown in FIG. 3, due to the shape of the upper shell rim (2), there is a need to provide a lower connection location (4) with a straight edge so that a removable upper can be attached to the boot shell (1). FIG. 3 depicts where the lower connection location (4) would be placed in a preferred embodiment. In that embodiment the lower connection location (4) is spaced above the upper shell rim (2) at a distance to provide spacing for preventing the connector placed at the lower connection location (4) from rubbing against the wearer's ankle.

The offset of the lower connection location (4) is provided by a customized skirt (8) as depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5. The skirt body (5) is a shaped piece of material designed to attach to the upper shell rim (2) along a shaped lower edge. In a preferred embodiment the skirt body (5) is stitched to the upper shell rim (2). However, the skirt body (5) may also be attached to the upper shell rim (2) by adhesives, snaps, buttons, material welding, locking mechanisms, or other attachment means known to one skilled in the art. The skirt body (5) is also attached to a lower connection means (6) along an upper edge of the skirt (7). In a preferred embodiment of the invention the lower connection means (6) is a half zipper. However, other connection means such as Velcro™, hook and loop fasteners, snaps, buttons, slide lock means, bindings, or other attachment means known to one skilled in the art may be provided along the upper edge of the skirt (7).

FIG. 5 depicts a boot shell (1) with the assembled skirt (8) attached to the upper shell rim (2) along a lower edge of the skirt (7 a) and an assembled skirt (8) in isolation.

FIG. 6 depicts a boot shell (1) with an attached skirt (8) without the boot liner (3) shown in dashed lines. FIG. 6 also depicts an upper attachment means (9) where it would attach to the lower attachment means (6).

FIG. 7 depicts a boot shell (2) with an attached skirt (8) which is connected to an upper sleeve (10) using the upper connection means (9) and the lower connection means (6) alongside an assembled skirt (8). The upper sleeve (10) can have different patterns or colours on either side and can be removed or reversed to provide a different look to the boot. In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 7 the upper sleeve (10) can extend up the user's leg beyond the top of a boot liner (6). The preferred embodiment depicted in FIG. 7 also includes a drawstring and toggle (11) around the upper edge of the upper sleeve (10). However, other upper sleeves (10) that do not incorporate drawstrings and toggles (11) or other functional elements along the top of the upper sleeve (10) are contemplated. FIG. 8 similarly depicts an assembled boot without the liner (3) shown in dashed lines or the assembled skirt (8) shown alongside the boot.

FIG. 9 depicts a top view of an assembled boot which incorporates a liner (3). The rim of the upper sleeve (14) is on the outside with the upper shell rim (2) inside and the liner rim (14) as the innermost rim.

While the foregoing describes most preferred embodiments of the subject invention, a person skilled in the art will appreciate that variations of such embodiments will be feasible and still be within the scope of the teachings herein. Thus, the substitution of different materials for those specifically indicated may be expected to occur to such person, and variations in shapes and configurations of the different components involved may be made while sustaining the functions of components actually shown herein, such all being within the intended scope of the present invention. 

1. Footwear comprising: a boot shell with an upper shell rim; a skirt with a lower skirt edge and a straight upper skirt edge; and an upper sleeve with a straight lower sleeve edge; wherein the skirt is attached to the upper shell rim along the lower skirt edge and is attached to a lower connection means along the straight upper skirt edge; the upper sleeve is attached to an upper connection means along the straight lower sleeve edge; and the lower and upper connection means are configured to connect to one another.
 2. The footwear of claim 1, wherein the footwear is selected from the group consisting of a rubber boot, hiking boot, hiking shoe, winter boot, and winter shoe.
 3. The footwear of claim 2, wherein the footwear is a winter boot.
 4. The footwear of claim 3, wherein the boot shell is configured to fit an insulated boot liner.
 5. The footwear of claim 4, wherein the upper sleeve is configured to extend up a user's leg beyond the top of the insulated boot liner.
 6. The footwear of claim 1, wherein the upper skirt edge is positioned above the upper shell rim at a distance to prevent the lower connection means from rubbing against the ankle of a user.
 7. The footwear of claim 1, wherein the skirt is attached to the upper shell rim by stitching, adhesives, snaps, buttons, material welding, or locking mechanisms.
 8. The footwear of claim 7, wherein the skirt is attached to the upper shell rim by stitching.
 9. The footwear of claim 1, wherein the upper and lower connection means are selected form the group consisting of a zipper, Velcro™, hook and loop fasteners, snaps, buttons, slide lock means, or bindings.
 10. The footwear of claim 9, wherein the upper and lower connection means are a zipper.
 11. The footwear of claim 1, wherein the upper sleeve further comprises a drawstring and toggle proximate an upper edge of the upper sleeve. 